Vatican liturgy committee welcomes new US members

Bishop Serratelli speaks to Cardinal Canizares Llovera

Vatican City, Feb 9, 2011 / 02:50 am (CNA).- Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix and Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson, New Jersey met in Rome February 2-3 with the other new members and staff of the Vox Clara Committee which advises the Vatican about English-language liturgical books.

Both U.S. bishops were new to the committee, which met in the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome. Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, who is the congregation prefect, and congregation secretary Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, O.P., met with the Vox Clara Committee on the meeting’s second day.

Committee chairman Cardinal George Pell of Sydney thanked the congregation for its consistent support. With the work of the translation of the missal being substantially complete, he said, work should continue on ensuring its effective reception.

Both the prefect and the secretary stressed the importance of providing authentic translations to strengthen communion in the Church.

Retired Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans was the only other American bishop at the meeting, according to a Vox Clara press release published on the blog of committee member Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa.

Bishop Olmsted was named Vox Clara’s first vice-chairman, while Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay was named second vice-chairman. Bishop Serratelli was named secretary of the committee, while the treasurer was Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, who did not attend the meeting.

The Vox Clara Committee expressed satisfaction that the English-speaking world has welcomed the missal’s new translation. The committee said it is convinced that the new translation has spiritual and catechetical value for the liturgical renewal envisioned by the Second Vatican Council.

The committee heard reports on the congregation’s recently published study guide for the new English translation of the Roman Missal. Members were hopeful that the text will help bishops in the English-speaking world establish programs to prepare priests for their work to implement the Missal.

Also discussed were the process for the completion of the Roman Missal and the actions of various bishops’ conferences to publish the Lectionary for Mass.

The committee also examined the continuing translation of the rest of the texts of Roman Rite liturgical books as envisioned by “Liturgiam authenticam,” a Vatican instruction concerning authentic liturgy.